Canon 1200D versus Canon T6i

The Canon EOS 1200D (called Canon T5 in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel T6i (labelled Canon 750D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in February 2014 and February 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 1200D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixel, whereas the T6i provides 24 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 1200D vs Canon T6i

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1200D and the Canon T6i. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 1200D – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon T6i is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon 1200D. Moreover, the T6i is markedly heavier (16 percent) than the 1200D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1200D nor the T6i are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1200D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E10 battery,
while the T6i can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E17 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 1200D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the T6i, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Canon 1200D vs Canon T6i

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the T6i offers a higher
resolution of 24 megapixel, compared with 17.9 MP of the 1200D.
This megapixel advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the T6i has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the 1200D). However, it should be noted that the T6i is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the 1200D, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The T6i has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the T6i has a markedly higher DXO score than the 1200D (overall score 8 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the T6i provides a faster frame rate than the 1200D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the 1200D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 1200D vs Canon T6i

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1200D and the T6i are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder.
The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1200D and Canon T6i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The T6i
has a touchscreen, while the 1200D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T6i is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera.

1200D 04:15 T6i

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1200D or the T6i. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you do not see the camera that you are looking for, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.